While hobbies were once viewed as fun activities to pass the time, today, having a hobby can transform your personal and professional life. Many of us have met or heard about an entrepreneur who turned a hobby into a viable business. We’ve got seven excellent reasons you should consider a new hobby this year.

A hobby can help with personal growth.

A hobby exposes you to new ideas, different perspectives, and opinions. Shared passions and experiences with others can transform your outlook on life and create opportunities for growth you would not have otherwise. Starting a new hobby can also help eliminate feeling stuck.

Your hobby can help you to mentally declutter.

Focusing on a recreational activity allows you to be present, so less attention is on stressful thoughts. Although each hobby offers a different level of physical and mental engagement, your hobby can help with mindfulness. Hobbies that might help with mental decluttering include painting, cooking, knitting, sewing, and meditation.  

Hobbies can increase your confidence.

What’s your hidden talent – baking, decorating, or painting? There might be things you are great at but have not tried doing before. Discovering a hidden talent outside of home or work is rewarding and can boost your self-confidence. When you’re good at something, you feel motivated, and that’s what hobbies encourage.

It can help with relieving stress.

For some people, adding another thing to do could increase stress, but a hobby promotes the opposite. Doing something you enjoy helps you to relax and release tension. Your hobby allows you to escape the other demands of the day since your focus is on the pleasurable task.

A hobby can improve your social interactions.

Some hobbies introduce you to new people, thus, increasing your network. Meeting other people who enjoy the same hobby allows you to enjoy new friendships and improve your talent. You might even meet influential people you would never have encountered otherwise.

Hobbies might challenge you.

When you begin to learn a new hobby, it might be challenging initially, so it helps to be patient. Becoming better at a task takes practice, work, and perseverance. Challenging your mind with new things keeps you mentally stimulated and helps break up mundane routines. Also, once you’ve improved or mastered the skill, you realise the challenge is worth it.

Your hobby can become a business.

Doing what you love can create additional income streams for you with focus and dedication. Some hobbies that can help to supplement your income include photography, cooking, music, comedy, DIY arts and crafts, writing, illustration and design, gardening, and gaming.

We hope these tips will encourage you to learn something new that you might enjoy or remind you to return to a hobby you once loved. If you are still feeling stuck, pace yourself, and start when you are comfortable to try something new.

If you loved the tips in this article, we’ve got others you might enjoy reading. Head to Find Yello and click our Articles tab for more. Remember, you can also use our search bar to locate businesses like art and craft supplies shops, pharmacies, and hardware stores with the products you need to get started with your new hobby.

Sources: HuffPost, Workshoped, Skilled at Life, and Centre for Adult Education.